Meymaneh
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Meymaneh or Maimana is the capital of Faryab province, northern Afghanistan, near the Uzbekistan border. It is approximately 400 km northwest of the Afghan capital Kabul.
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Location
Meymaneh is located on Template:Coor dms at the northern foot of the Torkestan Mountain Range at an elevation of 877 m on the old terrace of the Qeysar River. This river branches off of the Band-e Turkistan River 50 km south of the city. The highlands of the Meymaneh region generally possess a very rich topsoil for the seasonal agricultural activities.
Climate
- Climatic data.......... Jan-Feb-Mar-Apr-May-Jun-Jul-Aug-Sep-Oct-Nov-Dec
- Temperatures .......... 2 - 4 - 8 - 15 - 20 - 26 - 28 - 25 - 21 - 15 - 9 - 5 °C
- Precipitation ............ 50 - 60 - 82 - 60 - 26 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 10 - 21 - 45 mm
- Sunshine .................. 4 - 4 - 6 - 7 - 10 - 12 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 8 - 5 - 4 hrs/day
Population
During the 19th century, the population of the settlement was estimated at 15,000-18,000, the majority being of Uzbek descendants. In 1958 the population was estimated to be 30,000, by 1979 this had risen to 38,250. Today Maymaneh inhabits a population of 75,900 (2004).
History
The town is of ancient origin. It seems clear that Meymaneh citadel dates back to the early Iron Age. Ceramic materials in a nearby cave at Bilchiragh are from the Paleolithic and late Neolithic-Bronze Age. The city itself was first settled by Israelites sent here from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and was then named "Al-Yahudiya", the "City of the Jews".
In the 10th century it was the residence of the Malik of Guzganan, which was then under the control of the Farighunid native dynasty.
In the 16th century, Uzbek influence came to Meymaneh with the invasions of Turkistan and Herat by Shaibanid Khan.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, Meymaneh was the centre of an independent Uzbek khanate and an important centre for commerce, as well as being the gateway to Turkistan from Herat and Persia.
In 1876 the city fell to the Afghans and was put in ruins, and only ten percent of the population was left.
The city was once strongly walled with thick walls and towers and surrounded by a moat, but in the 20th century all this has been reduced to an anonymous mound. In 1934, the rebuilding of the city started, and in 1949 the western parts of the old city were renewed, the old city citadel changed to a park.
Economy
The town serves an agricultural area irrigated from the Qeysar River and also handles the trade in Karakul sheep with nomads. Meymaneh is an important livestock centre in Afghanistan. In the 1970's, the wool and cotton processing industry was booming in the city. Meymaneh is a market for leather goods, silk, carpets, wheat, barley, melons and grapes.
Meymaneh is, after Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat and Kunduz, the fifth Afghan town with an independent women-managed radio station, Radio Quyaash, established in February 2005.